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How to write a rent increase letter: notice and wording

Published · Landlords and tenants

A rent increase letter tells a tenant the new rent and the date it starts. The wording is simple. What matters is that the increase is allowed, the notice is long enough, and the letter is delivered properly.

Can the rent go up yet?

  • Fixed-term lease: usually not until the lease ends, unless the lease itself allows an increase. At the end of the term, offer the new rent with a lease renewal letter.
  • Month-to-month: yes, with written notice, subject to any rent cap.
  • Never as retaliation for a complaint or a repair request, or for a discriminatory reason.

How much notice

Many US states require at least 30 days' written notice for a month-to-month tenancy, and some require more for larger increases or longer tenancies:

  • California: 30 days for an increase of 10% or less in a year, 90 days for more than 10%.
  • New York: for an increase of 5% or more, 30, 60 or 90 days, depending on whether the tenant has lived there less than a year, one to two years, or longer.
  • Oregon: 90 days, and no increase in the first year of a tenancy.

The free deadline calculator works out the earliest date the new rent can start. Notice usually has to be served before the start of a rental period, so check the date against the rent due date too.

Check for rent caps

A growing number of places limit how much rent can rise each year. California's statewide cap applies to many properties more than 15 years old, Oregon has a statewide cap, and cities including New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco have rent stabilization or rent control for covered units. Look up the rules for the property before you choose the new figure.

Outside the US, rules differ. In England, for example, most private landlords must use a formal section 13 notice to raise the rent on a periodic tenancy, and the rules changed under the Renters' Rights Act, so check GOV.UK for the current form and notice period.

What to put in the letter

  1. The date, and every tenant's name and the property address.
  2. The current rent and the new rent, as amounts, not just a percentage.
  3. The date the new rent starts.
  4. That all other terms of the tenancy stay the same, or what else is changing.
  5. How to pay, if that is changing.
  6. Optionally, a short reason, such as higher taxes or insurance. It is not usually required, but it helps.
  7. Who to contact with questions, and your signature.

Deliver it properly

Use a method the lease or state law accepts, often in person or by mail, and keep proof of the date. If the notice is served late, the increase starts later, so allow a few extra days for mail.

Use the free template

The free rent increase letter template sets out the current rent, the new rent, the start date and the notice given, with optional wording for a reason and a renewal offer. Fill it in online or download it as Word. All the landlord letters are on the landlord and tenant page.

General information, not legal advice. Rent rules vary by state and city and change often.

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